Permits

PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING PERMISSION TO CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AT COCHA CASHU

Below we present the latest information released by SERNANP regarding obligatory requirements to conduct any type of research in a Protected Area.

IMPORTANT: No payment is necessary for research, and permissions can be obtained for a period of up to 2 years.

We recommend starting the application process at least one and a half months in advance (if you have all the necessary documentation and there are no observations by SERNANP after its review of your application, the process takes between 12 and 21 working days). The application is presented in Spanish and will only be processed once ALL documents are completed. If you do not have time to perform the procedure in person, you can coordinate with Veronica Chavez to do the paperwork on your behalf.

There are two types of Research Applications:

1. Application for Automatic Approval (this is not applicable for the Cocha Cashu Biological Station).
2. Application for Prior Assessment.

PLEASE NOTE: If you plan to stay more than three months at Cocha Cashu, it is very important to inform the immigration office in Peru, before travelling to the Station, and to do the necessary paperwork.

In Cusco, you must visit the office of SERNANP to collect the authorization of your research project. The current Park director is Ernesto John Florez Leiva, whose office is located in Urbanizacion Larapa Grande, Calle Los Chachacomos F-2-4 (reference: close to the Universidad Andina del Cusco). The fax is (084) 274 509. Office hours are 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday.

After obtaining the approval of your research project, you must obtain an entry permit to the Manu National Park. You need three copies of the entry permit: one to be left at the Cocha Cashu office in Cusco and two copies for the Limonal and Pakitza checkpoints in Manu National Park. This is very important, because you will not be able to enter the Park without these permits.

IMPORTANT:

If you anticipate having to export collected specimens/samples, then you must do the necessary paperwork, through the National Forest and Wildlife Service (SERFOR), for a “Permit to Export Biological Material for Scientific Purposes”. This permit must be applied for after completing the collection of samples and after depositing them at national scientific institutions registered through SERFOR. Please note: the researcher must contact SERFOR directly. Unlike the research permits, which we process on the researcher’s behalf, in the case of export permits we cannot offer this service. Keep in mind that although the documents can be left with SERFOR in Cusco, it is faster to deliver them directly in Lima (in Cusco they expect to accumulate a number of requests first).